Intermittent feeding mechanism for fertilizer-distributers.



- y c. n. DAVIS. i INTERMITTENT FEEDlNG MECHANISM FOR FERTILIZER DIHTRIBUTERS.

Pxtnted Mar. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I;

APPLICATIONJILED APR. H. 1.916.

c.- R. DAVIS. I INTERMITTENT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR FERTI! IZER DISTRIBUTERS.

, APPLICATION FILED APR. II, I916- 1,21 9,087.- Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

' ED STATES -1 -;1-1m.-rr ounce.

CALVIN R. DAV-IS, 0F nocxronq xmimoxs, kSSIGNOR r0 EMERSON-BRANTINGHAM COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or- ILLINOIS. I

INTERMITTEN '1" FEEDING MEGHANISiilL FOR IEIt'IQ] lLIZER-DISTRIBUTERS.

Application filed April 11,

To all whom it may concern:

Beit knm-vn that I, CALVIN It. Davis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State'of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Intermittent Feeding Meehanisms for Fertilizer-l)ietrihliters, of which the following is a speeification.

This invention relates to fertilizeralistributers of the type enll' loying an endless eo'nveyer and a ratchet mechanism for operi ting the same to feed fertilizer alongthe bedte a rotary beateror distributing means and has particular reference to the ratchet feed mechanism. In-machines of this character, verioue .variable speed mechanisms, ratchet, gem and otherwise driven, have heretofore been employed for feeding'fer: tilizer to the distributing means fast or slowly as desired so as to spread the requislte amount of fertilizeigoi'ei a ig' 'elreoil area, but these meehanisn' s have either been tootoss tlyfor a. low prlced fertilizer 01' (1'15- tribfit'er or if of (ihEH PQ-i construction hare net/been able tofgive the desirable steady and continuous feed. i

The primary object Of'llly ini'lention is to provide a fertilizer feed merhanisnr of the ratchet type which wil-lbe' m pl'e, and dur= able in eonstructionandcaq'iabfe-kff adjustment for a. wide-range of fee e in any of which the. feed will be uniform and substantially. continuous while the distrihutei is in i'motion' so that an even (1i tribution of fertilizer is alw'ays'obtained. "0; this end, I have provided a ratchet mechanism 'of comparatively few parts inclui-lingii driver hay ng afrwl'ifis ofiftap 'iets athipt ed to silo eess vely uetuate a cam shoe that; (flier.

the -ratchet pawl, these eien'rents'boing of noyeiieongtructien and arrangement \v-h 1 si'ibstantia by the pawl will .be. operatedcontinuously inite feeding movements at a iepaln shoe and-tal petsvl Pee(l. dete1'rninied by tlmrelative relation ofi.

invention iils'Qhus .rbferenee, 0 yfe.

lowenbeaters and ed mey'be adjusted toward and awaytmm the fertilizer bed so as to eperate oiliciently on fertilizers of "iarioius grades and uponloads I of Various heights.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- means roneiste'. of. upper beat-012's deslgnat i l l a a a Mr xAin ent-llesha h 'ntehtod Mar. 13, 1.917.. 1916. Serial No. 90,483.

. liefrrrir g tn the drawings fol-hung a. part of his .speeifieation- Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of a, fertilizer distributor en bodyinh' lny in![)rorrments,

Fig. 2 is a IougitudiI-ml "sectional vio\v through the mar portion of the distributor; Fig. 3 ieazi enlarged side View of" the rear end of the distributor with the near drive whorl riinoved so he to el -1 h the ratchet 'roneyrl' feed 'lnoelnm'isni; Fig. -lis a ilan sectional \'l(\\ taken on the line 4.4 (i Fig. 3; and i i Figs. 5 and are detail views in persprvq tire of the can shoe-aud'mud "arn'i iesperltirelx, of the. conveyor feed inerh'unisln.

Since my bm ter-s the oth er elements m? the (llsill'ilil'liifil may be of anysuitabie or preferred lt'as'igng andfor purposes of illustratior' have sl'low'n. a low-c own (listrlbliter -ooni|ir|slng a fertilizer box designated generally" by nferenee oharaeter ,7 nugunted' oni eajr drive- Wheels 8 and .ioruiarrh;dn'igl'lile'wheele 95 A suitable drait aitaelmient 11 is provided and the drive wheels 8-. are jou'rnaled on 'a" through. axle 12 thatmount'ed in bearings nnprm'elnents relate: es )eeiall to the conveyor feed n'reoha'n eni and toth'e.

13 suitably sew-red to the underside of' the a the "hedo'l the fertil zer box; to feeki'tho fUl-' tilizerto the (ligtributing nieansq i:

diigralmnatioally- ,hy- 14 is frame. Tlreconveyer may w pron or any other "DkU'l lQS S" tyl'i'e 'iurl apted to he moved realardly overt" In the present *iiistam-aoj,tho distribl'lting tern rotary, .h a ra-cl-ers 19 anti-21 roepetptirelv and lower beaters. -The the upper beater 19' is j shaft '28 carryin ournaled at its en s 'in boxes 29 that are adjustably bolted to cured to the outer The arcuate supa series of holes to permitof adjustment of the heater in an arcuate path toward a nd away from the fertilizer bed without interfering with the chain drive between the heaters. By reason of this ad'ustment the upper beater may be set at di erent elevations with respect. to the fertilizer bed so as topperate at a proper depth on different grades of fertilizer stacked at different he: hts in the'box.

Side shields or guar each end of the up .er b angle bracket 33 mountings in fixed relative relation.

s 32 are provided at eater and an arched olds the upper beater wide spread attachment consisting of a spiral blade-equipped spreader 34 suitably ournaled on fertilizer box may be d the ends of the side sills of the riven by an endless v chain 35 trained over a sprocket wheel 36 v fixed to the lower beater shaft.

The conveyer feed mechanism of the ratchet type consists, generally wheel 37 fixed to: the rear conveyer shaft ratchet wheel at a the fertilizer distributer be set to operate .deliver the fertilizer mo stated, of a ratchet 18 and a pawl device adapted to be operated from one .ofthe drive wheels for rotating the predetermined speed when I is in operation. By

adjusting the pa'wl'device the conveyer may atvarious speeds so as to re or less: rapidly .to

the revolving heater and consequently, ob.-

tain a heavier or lighter distribution of fertilizer. Referring to Figs. 3 and'4, a driver axle 12 iIIIOIIgltlldlIlltl ratchet wheel 37 and e u ally spaced The head 38' carries a toothed face serve as tap ets "to pawl device. f d

' consists of a'cylindric'al head 38 keyed, to the alinement with the shaped to provide radial'projections 41 each of w rch carry a pivotally'mounteg roller 42. ng-pre sed... e. t e internal tween the The Q tillers 42.

actuate. aet wheel.

The device adapted to be actuated by the tappets, consists o cam'face 45 and;

interposed a pends-M48 49. to. the cam sh e 51 on a bracket 52' head to the shoe normall th path of t e "tappets,

a cam shoe designated in general by. 44 shaped to provide 'an. arcuate a painof rearwardl extending flanges; 46 and '47 between w'hich is rp v ally secured at and pivotally mounted at secured above the drivm adjacent panelof .box. By reason of .thefertilizer so that unless-such movementirestricted, the cam face45 will abut against "whatever:

posed opposite a;- This se l y be disgravitating Ipopgheld in and bygit a substanti tof the cam shoe is opposed by the tension of a contractile spring 53 connected to an arm 54 fixed to the pendant 48 so that" when the cam shoe is moved ra idly back and forth under the influence of th the spring will have a partial counterbalancing effect to cushion the cam shoe-when it strikes the tappets, thus relieving the parts from unnecessary jar and noise incidental to the striking impact. As shown in Fig. 3 the cam face 45 is held out of the path of the tappets h '.a rod 55fixedly secured b rivets 56 to t e outer side'of the flange 4.

and equipped with anadjustable stop .57 that rests at 58 on the top surface of a guide bracket 59 secured to the box panel 22. B

moving the upper end of the rod e tappdts,

55 for-.

the pivot 49 relatively to the pendant 48 -to move the upper end of the cam face 45 more or less into the path of the tappets. The upper surface'of the bracket 59 is cut away at 61 so that when the rod 55 is ad'usted forwardly a short distance its stop' 5 will enter the depression 61 and permit the cam face 45 to enga e the'adjacent tappet or roller which limits t e forward movement of-the cam shoe. .A hand lever 62 'pivotally mounted on the adjacent panel 22 within reach of the operator is onnected by. means of a lo'ngitudinally adjtlstablelink ifiii to the upper end of the rod '55 and equipped with a spring-pressed latch cooperating notched. segment 64 mounted on said side panel. in which the lever is engaged in Fig. 1 represent the different speeds at which the conenga =.the toothedf-face of thematchet whee. -A suitable contractile spring .67 holds the pawl head yieldin ly in engagement with the ratchet wheel placement of the pawl when distrib I It will be noted, Fig. 4, that the engages the outer face of the while the rod 55 said bracket so that the cam .uter is .driven over uneven ound.

proper alinemsnt; iththe tappetsand' that the pawl arm by reason of its bifurcated construction, is held hy the cam shoe proper alinement wlthg rthe ratchet wheel. The construction is .co aratively .simple continuous feed movement may-be im'f'" wheel at any speed that;- set for, as will be presently apparent.

,It will be noted that; because of the position ofthe camfacewithrespect to the path The various notches except the one.

. acket 59- es the inner .face of shoe is therebyto the 'ratchet the device may be with a or. inoperative prevent'dis,

the fertiliz 11s e'n ant 4B or the tappets, movenmnt of the u per end o. the eani face by the rod 5% tow-enter from the tappets does not vary the pesitifiwi of the lower end. Gnnseqaently the eiiti'ie length of the ean'i'fam is pieseatetl eh jng'lt'irirut by the tappets iii It 3' operative position to which on? hrj'M' be adjusted. Vlnzn the lever 6'2- l's in iji'i'sted to the first notch ta-n tl'ie sloweslt @p'eed, the stop 57 will he Moved into the depression 01 of the in'aelcet 5h til-a l the upper end of the 0am iaoe wil=l he disposed slightly in the path of thetmpr/ets. It will be evident from the positiwi'i oi the tappets as shown in Fig. 3, that upon making snrh adjustment the cam shoe \vill first abut net-dust the adjacent roller and then be moved bodily rearwardly, but after this roller has been moved away from the shoe, the same would drop until its lower end engages the next: sueeemling roller and the same in being moved a iwardly will more the (ram shoe rearwurdy a distance determined by the. projection of the said upper end of the ram face into the path of the roller. This" rear\\'urd feed movement will be uniformly gradual since the operat in; roller in elieeting the feed must travel along the entire length of the inclined cam face. When the o 'ierating roller leaves the ram t'aee the shoe'will immediately drop into engagement with 'the' next succeeding roller, thus retraeting the pawl. This drop is praetiraliy instantaneous; and it will 'be evident that since the rollers or tappets are lazing |.-ontinnously driven and each roller upon engaging the cam shoe eommeneesimmediately to feed the same outwardly the break in the feed of the conveyor caused by lll()|lj)ll]; of the cam shoe is aln'i'ost imperceptible. Thus, a substantially continuous ieed movem nt is obtained with only one rant shoe and paw], and it will be evident Hiatus the hand lever (32 is adjusted farther forwardly the upper er a'l of the-earn face 45 will be correspondinglypmjeeted into the path of the tappets, and consequently, moved lnlelnvardty thereby a greater (listaure. to effect greater feerl movement of the ralvhel wheel at the actuation of each tapput.

Attention is direeted to the fact that the ram shoe when out of operative position is supported by the stop 57 on the adjusting rod 55, and thaLwhen the lever 62 is moved forwardly to any oF the notches the ruin al oe inunedlately heroines a floating element resting t, some. point within the length of its face 45 on the adjacentrollei'. M will also he observed that the lower end of the raiiusl oe' is maintained at all times in the spine relationh; the tappets regardless of the mljustua-nl, of the emu for dill'erent feeds. so that the drop ol the ram shoe to lowermost position alwi\ys ||n ilorm, that is, it. will drop until the lnnerend of its additional nutea 'f-aee 45 abuts \gainst the next approaehin roller. For tl is reason as was pointed mii above, the fat d movement irrespeetire of the speed of the feed is always uniformly gradual since I t any adjustment of the ram shoe the aetuiting rol er operate-a on an inclined earn t'ara so an to effect a feed movement determined by the Inclination at such face.. in the inetaaee assumed of setting the lever t! in the first notch the upper end of the cam face to WIN be projeeted into the path of thvv tappets aulhelently to eaaae the pawl to ill vnnee the ratchet wheel the distance of one tooth, ing the link [M loagltiallnally wit vespeet to the lever (at i fend movenmut of two teeth may be arena] when the hirer ls net at the first uoteh. All the lever (32 i adjusted forwardly to eacl sin-evading notch the feed nmvement of the ratehet wheel will be inereased the disamee of one tooth fUl' ln\Cll lhia iuaanaeiaeat, hn'\'v'= ever, of adjnatnaaaeaas o'r securing various speeds nf the e o'nveyer may be altered to ohtam any \"iilnttfln esirable.

I claim:

1. in a ratrlut teed uuarhauism, the combination of a r: tehel, wheel, a series of revolving tappets and aieaus ulapted to be aetuated by the tnppeta for imparting feed movement to th ratchet wheel, an id means being adjustable into and out of the path of the tappets to Jury the movement of the ratehet wheel a nl eonstrunted tu.be aetuated throughout. a uniform portion f the cycle of eaeh tappet at any adjustment for variation in de ree of feed movement so that the adrunre 'eid movement will be uniformly gradual.

.2. In a ratrhel feed mechanism, the combination of a ra .ehet wheel, a series of revolving tappet'u, a "outing, ram adapted to be actuated by the tappets, the ram bein adjustable relatiuely to the path of the tappets and arranged so that in any of its up erative adjustments the tappets will operate upon and throughout thesame length of the cam faee, and means operable between the cam andratehet wheel for feeding: the latter by operation of t 1e former.

3. The eomhim tion with a ratchet wheel and a rotary driver equip ed on its periphery with a stries ol projecting tappets, of a cam shoe dis 'iosed in close proximity to the path ofgsaid tappeta and suspended liy a pendant p votally connected to-the lower end of the rain shoe and pivotally. mounted on a fiXel pivot abovethe driver, a. pawl arm pivot-alyeonnerted with the cum phoa aml adapted to feed the ratchet wheel, and means for adjusting the enm shoe on its said lower pivot mlatively to the path of the tappeta whereby the shoe will alter-- natxily be moved outwardly lI Y n tuppet and when the same is passed will drop into the although hj iuljnat areuate ram I'll path of the next succeeding tappet and be operated thereby.

4.- The combination with a ratchet wheel and a rotary driver equipped on its periphery with a series of projecting tappets, of a can! shoe, means sup )orting the shoeinproximity to the path ot the tappets so that one end of the cam face of the shoe is out of-said path and the opposite end is adjustable more or less into said path will engage. the. cam shoe throughouta uniform length at any adjustment of the cam shoe, means for so adjusting the cam shoe, and a pawl arm disposed in operative rela tion to said ratchet wheel and connected withthe cam shoe tovbe moved thereby an amount determined by said adjustment.

'5. A ratchet eon\'e \a'rteed mechanism for fertilizer distrilmters eomprisinga ratchet wheel, a rotary driver equipped with a series of ]nojeetin; tappets. a cam shoe having an l'aee ol" :1 length slightly less than the eireuml'ereutial distance between adjacent tappets. ineanssupporting the ram shoe in such relation to the tappets that as thedriver is rotated. each tappet may operate in succession along substantially the en'- tire length of said arcuate cam faee to move the cam shoe outwardly the distance that the eanrfaee projects into the path of the tappets; the cam shoe and tap'pets being relatively adjustable to eti'eet greater or less 7 nmrement'of the (2am slu-ie an'd the engageine'nt between the: tappets and eanrshoe being of the same ('luratioir under a11 v.ot saidf adjustments, and vmeans operable between the cam shoe and 'ra-tehetwheel for feeding the latter by said' operation of the former.

0. A ratchet.conveyor-feedmechanism for distributers comprising a ratchet wheel, aaotary drivel-veqnipped with a se 'ries'. of projecting ta 'ipets air-am shoe havmg.- 'marreuate eamface: of alength slightly 1 mind, eanr fancy-and means operate "entire lengthi less than are u'cpmfere ntial distance between adp eentl ta 'lpets, means su 'iportmg the cu m shoe"infslrehrelation to the tappets' tliatas the" 1d ri verisf Rotated \(HH-ll tappetniay 'qpl'long Substantially the i1r- (.-a:|te'e:|i1i fare to moae'the cam-shoe outwardly. the (llHtllnfl! into the path of v adjusting the eam a. pivot get one: end "thereof to engt-l-r.= of engagement l-ietween the ta'ppets the cam shoe-and ratchet eel for feeding the lattenhy saidoeperation of thelformer.

7. A ratchet eonyeyer feed mechanism for i fertilizer-distr-ibuters comprising a ratchet.

wheel; 'a'.rotary driver equipped with a projeeting pended froma fixed pivot so as to not-anally and so that the tappets rable between 'tappet, a eam'shoe pivotnlly sus--' gravitate into the path of the tappet, means for adjusting the cam shoe relatively to its supporting means to project said cam shoe more or less into the said )ath of the tappet and so that the length oi engagement between the cam shoe and tappet at any adjustmentis equal, and means operable between the cam shoe and ratchet wheel for feeding the latter as the cam shoe is operated by the tappets.

8. A ratchet conveyer-feed mechanism for fertilizer distributers comprising a ratchet wheel, a rotary driver equipped with a pair of projecting tappets, a cam shoe pivotally suspended from a fixed pivot so as to normally gravitate into the path of the tappets means eounterlialaneing the cam shoe in its gravitation into the path of the tappets so as to cushion its engagement with the tap-- pets, means for adjusting the cam shoe and 8 pended from a tixed pivot so as to norma'liy gravitate into the path of the t'appet. means for adjusting: the cam shoe about a pivot sep- 1 arate from said fixed pivot to project a po -T tion of the cam fare of the shoe more or less into the path of the tappeL the can: taee be ing so supported that a unil'orm length thereof will be engaged by the tappet'at any 1 adjustment of the. cam shoe. and menus operable between the ram shoe and ratchet wheel for feeding the latter as the cam shoe; is operated by the tappet.

10. The vombination of a ratchet Heel. :1 1 rota ry. driver having a series of eircumfen entially spaced rollers, a cam shoe adapted to be aetuatedfibysaid rollers'as the driver isrotated; a pawl arm eonneeted to said eaui shoe for imparting feed movement to .the 1 ratchet \\'ll((l' .l||)()!l actuation of the cam shoe, said cam shoe being adjustable more or less into the'patl of said rollersso as to nnpart greater or h s feed movement to the I ratchet wheel and being,= arranged so that 12b""\(-- sald rollers engage theeam shoe throughout 6 a substantially equal portion of theire'cle 3 at any adjustment of said shoe, whereby to I efl'eet substantially continuous r'otathnr of," the ratchet wheel from eontinuonsrotating}, 1 of the driver.

11. In a ratchet eonveyer-feed mechanism: for fertilizer--(.listrilmters, the eo'mbimtion with a toothed apron feed wheel, rotary" driving means provided with a series of tap- '1 5 ygjtlr'the toothed wheel 50 as to be arm or fmwl I with a toothed apron feed Wheel, rotary driving means provided with a series of tap- Bets, a cam adapted to be moved outwardly y each tappe and thence inwardly into the piLth of the succeeding tappet, as the drive means is rota bed, a pawl arm connected to the same and adapted to impart rotary motion to the feed wheel by the said operation of the cam, and means for adjusting the cam independently of the pawl arm more or less into the path of theta-ppets wherehyto very the feed of the apron.

-OALVTN It. DAVIS. 

